Center pushbutton timer



May 28, 1968l J. A. DRAGH| ET AL CENTER PUSHBUTTON TIMER Filed May 26,1966

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INVENTOR JAMES A. DRAGHI ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,385,115 CENTER PUSHBUTTON TIMER James A. Draghi, Manchester, Conn., assigner to M. H. Rhodes, Inc., Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 26, 1966, Ser. No. 553,104 6 Claims. (Cl. 74--3.54)

This invention relates to timers which are manually windable and settable for controlling a variety of timed operations and has as a primary object the provision of an improved low cost timer incorporating a center pushbutton release normally associated with expensive, sophisticated timing mechanisms.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a timer of simplified construction which is particularly suited for quick and easy installation on a variety of equipment for providing time controlled operations.

A further object .of the invention is to provide an improved push-button timing release which is readily incorporated in both new and existing timers.

Another object of the invention is to provide an irnproved timer of the above described type which is convenient and economical to manufacture and assemble, simple to use, and durable for reliable operation over a long service life.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exempliiied in the construction hereafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side view, partly in section and partly broken away, showing a timer constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded side view, partly in section 'and partly broken away, showing assembly details of the timer of FIG. 1 on a reduced scale;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken generally along line 3 3 .of FIG. 2 and showing, in broken lines, an actuating lever incorporated in the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the actuating lever.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, a preset timer is shown including a cup-shaped metal casing 12 having a front wall 13 screw mounted, eg., to a rear face of a base plate 14 of an associated device, not shown. The back of the casing 12 is closed by a rear Wall 15 to provide a complete enclosure for the operating parts of the timer which are supported on a fixed frame within the casing 12. The frame includes front and back pl-ates 16 and 17 which rotatably support a central setting shaft 18. The setting shaft 18 extends forwardly from with-in the casing 12 through aligned central openings in its front wall 13 and the base plate 14 to provide an outwardly projecting forward end portion 19 which passes through a centrally apertured dial 20 mounted on a front face of the base plate 14 To operate the setting shaft 18, an actuator is `provided including a knob 22 mounted as described more specifically below on the forward end portion 19, and an indicator or pointer, not shown, is provided on the oper-ating knob 22 for setting a desired time cycle in reference to the dial 20.

Although the present invention is useful in a variety of conventional timers, the operating parts of the timer 10 are shown for illustrative purposes as being of the general type described in United States Patent No. 3,107,539 issued in the name of C. P. Cairelli on October rice 22, 1963, and entitled Release Mechanism for Preset Timers. It will be understood that the oper-ating parts include a timing mechanism supported on the frame and having a spring-driven clockwork connected to the setting shaft 13, the timing mechanism being constructed in accordance with conventional timer techniques. An operator can wind up the timing mechanism by turning the operating knob 22 a desired distance in one angular 'direction from a start or timed-out position, and the timing mechanism thereafter turns the setting shaft 18 and the operating knob 22 in the opposite angular direction during a period of running down to the timed-.out position.

To control a desired operation by the timer 10, a control member or cam 24 is rotatably mounted on a lug 26, iixed to the rear wall -15 of the casing 12, for movement between an off position and an operating position for initiating a timed operation. As described in the referenced patent, the cam 24 is continuously biased toward its operating position by a tension spring, partially shown at 23. However, when the timer 10 is in its timed-out position, the cam 24 is maintained in its oit position by a stud 25 movably mounted on the frame. Upon rotating the operating knob 22 to set the timer 10, the stud 25 is moved to condition the cam 24 to be spring actuated into its operating position, but the cam 24 will be temporarily maintained in its oil position by a release shaft or latch 27.

The latch 27 serves to restrain the cam 24 against movement during the initial setting operation of the timed cycle and is supported on the front and back plates 16 and 17 for reciprocable sliding movement along an axis parallel to but spaced from the rotational axis of the setting shaft 18. A compression spring 39, seated between the back plate 17 and a projecting pin 32 carried by the latch 27, urges the latch forwardly into a latching position shown in the drawing wherein a finger 34, projecting from the rear end of the latch 27, is disposed in the path of movement of the cam 24 to engage the same and prevent it from moving into its operating position.

As described in the referenced patent, the clockwork is maintained inoperative during the initial setting operation by a cam-actuated pawl, partially shown at 35, which is designed to :release a gear train of the clockwork when the cam 24 snaps into its operating position, thereby to synchronize the starting of the timed cycle and the timed operation.

To provide a low cost actuator having minimal space requirements for both new and existing timing modules wherein the release mechanism is radially oiset from the setting shaft, a substantially iiat lever 36 of thin crosssection is pivotally mounted between the front plate 16 and the front wall 13 of the casing 12 for operating the latch 27.

More specifically, the'lever 36 extends diametrically across the casing 12 and is supported at one end for pivotal movement on the front plate 16 with an opposite swinging end 38 engaging the forward end of the latch 27. The setting shaft 1S extends through a center opening 40 in the lever 36, the opening 40 being of enlarged size to provide a peripheral -clearance between the lever 36 and the setting shaft. The pivoted end of the lever 36 is supported on a projecting tab 42 bent outwardly from the front plate 16. The tab 42 has an end extension 44 of reduced cross section providing a pair of shoulders 45, 46 for supporting portions of the lever 36 on opposite lateral sides -of a notch 48 formed in its pivoted end. The end extension 44 of the tab 42 is received in the notch 48 with minimum clearance therebetween to minimize side-to-side movement of the lever 36 relative to the tab 42.

To provide alight linger-touch feature in allow cost timer for use in yappliances such as blendersand other equipment having need for time controlled operations which heretofore has been associated with high cost items, a hollow plunger 50 is coaxially mounted on the forwardy end portion 19'of thesetting shaft 18 for cooperating with an intermediate portion of the lever 36. The plunger 50 is received in close fitting engagement within an axial pas-V sageway 52 formed in the operating knob 22 and is pushed rearwardly of the setting shaft 18 into abutment against portions of the lever 36 surrounding its center opening 40. A driving connection for' transmitting rotary movement between the operating knob 22 and the setting shaft 18 is effected by a thin metal insert plate 54 pressed fit, e.g., in the operating knob A22 and extending across its.

passageway 52 so as to be received inaligned longitudinal slots 56 and 58're`spectively formed in the plunger `50 vand the forward end portion 19 of the driveshaft 18. v By virtue of this arrangement, a center pushbutton 6l) is provided by a radial flange at the exposed outer end of the plunger 50 which requires only a light finger-touch to a-ctuate the latch 27 due to the-mechanical advantages effected-by the lever 36. vA preselected clearance is provided between the insert plate 54'and the inner end of the slots 56 such that upon depressing the push-button 60 it will'mve rearwardly into an' enlarged cup-shaped central cavity 62 in the operating knob 22 a suflicient distance to permit'the rear end ofthe plunger 50 to pivot the lever CII . 4 I claim:

1. Apreset timercomprising'arame, 't'irningmeans including a setting shaft supported on said frame and rotatable in one angular direction from aninitial timedout t position to set a desired time cycleand rotatable in an opposite angular direction in a time controlled manner toward said timed-out position, a movable control member supported on said frame for controlling an operation to be timed, a timing release shaft supported for movement lon rsaid frame, said release shaft positioned radially outwardly of the rotational 'axis of said setting shaft for releasably latching said control member, and meansfor operating said release shaft including an actuator coaxially mounted on one end of said setting shaft, and av lever having one en-d supported for pivotal movement on said frame and an opposite end disposed radially outwardly of said setting shaft" in engagement with said release shaft, said lever being movablejby said actuator for releasing vsaid'release shaft after the time cycle has been set. p l v v' 2. The timer of claim 1 wherein said actuator includes an operating knob having an'axial passageway therethrough mounted on said setting shaft for rotating the same, and afplunger received in said axial vpassageway 36 and move the latchl 27 rearwardly into a release posi-V tion whereupon the spring biased cam 24 moves over'the latching finger 34 and into its operating position to start the-timed operation.

The pawl 35 is simultaneously actuated to release the 'gear train of the clockwork to sta-rt its movement, and

when the clockwork is rundown upon driving the setting shaft 18'and the operating knob 22 intothe timed-out position, the 4above mentioned stud 25 will drive the cam 24 from its operating position to its olf position causing v i the pawl'35 to lock the clockwork gear train against further' movement. With `the cam 24 in its off latching position-to return the lever 36 and the plunger 50 into the shown in FIG.'1.y f

. The return travel of the plunger 50 is limited by a snap l ring 64 retained in a groove 66 extending .circumferentially around the plunger 50 and received for movement in a shallow annular receess 68 in the vrear end of the operating knob "22. Upon forward movement of the v plunger 5t), the snap ring 64 will engage the operating knob 22 thereby to provide a positive stop limiting foryward'movement of the plunger 50,'the lever 36 and the latch 27 and to condition the timer 10 for a'repeat cycle.

It will be'seen that the above described pivoted lever arrangement will permit the dimensions of the timer to 'remain unchanged regardless of whether it is lincorporated in a new or existing timing module of the eccentric release type. Moreover, a timer'constructed in accordance with the present inventionrrequires only one hole in the mounting panel thereby to significantly facilitate installation. The timer is particularly suited for simple, low

cost construction while providing a center push-button feature for lightv ngertouch operation.

thereon, said plunger having an exposed outer end( pro- Aviding a manually depressible center push-button inv said operating knob `and an opposite inner end in abutting engagement with an intermediate portionv of ysaid'lever for actuating the same. i y 3. The timer of -claim 2` 1wherein said lever includes an opening intermediate its ends, said setting shaft ex-` tending through said opening, said ;inn`er endy of rsaid plunger being in abuttingengagement with'p'ortions of said lever surrounding its said opening, and said openingv being of enlarged size'withrespect'to saidsetting shaft to effect a preselected peripheral clearance and un0b` structed pivotal movement of said lever relative to said setting shaft 'for operating said release shaft upon move-V ment ofsaid plunger. y

4. The timer of `claim 2` wherein said release shaft is reciprocable along an axis of move-ment in parallel spaced relation to the rotational axis of said setting shaft, said release shaft ybeing movable between a latch'ingl position vrestraining said control `member against movement and a release position permitting movement of'the same,A and wherein biasing means are provided for continuously urging said release shaft toward said latching position and for maintaining it in engagement with said opposite end of said lever. 5; The timerA of lclaim 4 further including a retaining member fixed to said plunger intermediate its said inner and outer ends and engageable with said operating knob to provide a positive stop limiting return travel of said plunger and said lever upon said release shaft being moved into its said latching position under the force of said biasing means.

6. The timer of claim 1 wherein said lever is a substantially flat plate of thin cross-section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,107,539 -10/1963 Cairelli 743.54

MILTON KAUFMAN, Primm Examiner. 

1. A PRESET TIMER COMPRISING A FRAME, TIMING MEANS INCLUDING A SETTING SHAFT SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME AND ROTATABLE IN ONE ANGULAR DIRECTION FROM AN INITIAL TIMEDOUT POSITION TO SET A DESIRED TIME CYCLE AND ROTATABLE IN AN OPPOSITE ANGULAR DIRECTION IN A TIME CONTROLLED MANNER TOWARD SAID TIMED-OUT POSITION, A MOVABLE CONTROL MEMBER SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME FOR CONTROLLING AN OPERATION TO BE TIMED, A TIMING RELEASE SHAFT SUPPORTED FOR MOVEMENT ON SAID FRAME, SAID RELEASE SHAFT POSITIONED RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF SAID SETTING SHAFT FOR RELEASABLY LATCHING SAID CONTROL MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID RELEASE SHAFT INCLUDING AN ACTUATOR COAXIALLY MOUNTED ON ONE END OF SAID SETTING SHAFT, AND A LEVER HAVING ONE END SUPPORTED FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ON SAID FRAME AND AN OPPOSITE END DISPOSED RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID SETTING SHAFT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RELEASE SHAFT, SAID LEVER BEING MOVABLE BY SAID ACTUATOR FOR RELEASING SAID RELEASE SHAFT AFTER THE TIME CYCLE HAS BEEN SET. 